Asus ROG Xbox Ally & Ally X first impressions: Real Console Gaming, Now Handheld

Handheld gaming is finally getting exciting again, and Asus is right at the centre of it. The Taiwanese tech giant has dropped the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Ally X in collaboration with Microsoft Xbox. These two handhelds are what you get when you want a proper gaming console, mixed with a proper Windows-based gaming PC, compact enough to carry in your backpack.

They’re sleek, feel great to hold, and are powerful enough to run proper console-level games without breaking a sweat. It’s gaming freedom, but without any of the usual compromises.

A proper gaming PC in your hands

Asus’ ROG Xbox Ally series changes what a handheld console can be. It’s the first Windows-powered device that feels like a real Xbox in your hands.

But because it’s an Asus machine, it’s also a proper PC, which just happens to be small enough to throw in a bag, and powerful enough to be taken seriously.

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You can stream games through Xbox Cloud Gaming, open your Steam or Epic Games library, or install whatever you want directly. And if you’re in the mood for more power, hook it up to an external GPU and you’re playing with desktop-level speed and clarity.

The idea behind the ROG Xbox Ally series is pretty simple: take the freedom of a gaming laptop, the gaming experience of a console, and the convenience of a handheld, and put them all together them all into a tiny little footprint that actually delivers on the promise of portable gaming.

Xbox, now in your hands

Asus clearly had some fun designing these handhelds. The contoured hand grips instantly give off that familiar Xbox feel and are angled just right for comfort during long sessions. Subtle ROG patterns and Xbox-style accents on the handles don’t just look cool, but also make the device easier to hold.

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The ROG Ally X goes a step further with impulse triggers that have built-in vibration motors. Every crash, shot, or explosion feels real, adding a layer of immersion that makes racing and shooting games way more engaging.

Display that makes gaming fun

Both the ROG Xbox Ally and the Ally X come with a solid 7-inch Full HD display that runs at 120Hz. Images from the display look incredibly sharp, smooth, and honestly, punches way above what you’d expect from a handheld. You also get a 7ms response time on these displays which should keep gameplays snappy, so whether you’re drifting around in Forza Horizon 5 or exploring Baldur’s Gate 3, it feels a lot closer to actually playing on a console or gaming laptop than you’d think.

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And the sound is just as impressive. Asus has packed in dual speakers with Smart Amp tech and Dolby Atmos support in both these handhelds.

Now, it doesn’t get as loud as a full-blown laptop or a TV, but it’s surprisingly loud given its small footprint. As a result, each and every explosion, engine roar, and the background score feels rich enough to pull you in. For something this small, the overall audio-visual experience is seriously satisfying.

Xbox like experience, PC-like performance

Both the ROG Xbox Ally and the Ally X are seriously powerful for their size. The regular Ally runs on AMD’s Ryzen Z2 A processor, while the Ally X steps it up with a faster Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip. On memory, the Ally X offers up to 24GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage, whereas the standard version tops out at 16GB and 512GB respectively. Both can be expanded with your own SSDs if needed.

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To handle all that power, Asus has redesigned the vapour chamber cooling system, which keeps things cool even during long gaming sessions. It’s efficient no matter how you hold the device — even upside down, according to Asus. From our short hands-on time, both handhelds managed demanding titles with ease. Frame rates were smooth, load times quick, and there was no noticeable heating. Asus seems to have nailed the balance between power and portability.

Impressive battery life

Most handheld gaming devices struggle with battery life, but the ROG Xbox Ally lineup does better than most, or at least they promise to. The standard Ally packs a decent 60Wh battery, while the Ally X bumps that up to a massive 80Wh unit. That extra capacity should easily translate to longer gaming sessions without constantly hunting for a charger, making the Ally X the more travel-friendly option for serious players.

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Pricing and first impressions

The ROG Xbox Ally is priced at ₹69,900, while the top-end Ally X comes in at ₹1,14,900. If you’re just getting into handheldgaming, the regular Ally is the smarter pick — it’s easier on the wallet, runs smoothly, and delivers solid performance.

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The Ally X, meanwhile, is for those who want the absolute best, with higher power, better build quality, and longer playtime.

Asus has pulled off something impressive here. The ROG Xbox Ally series shows what happens when PC power, console simplicity, and true portability all come together in one device.